T4America Blog

Smarter transportation case study #9: New Mobility Hub Network in Chennai, India

Automobile use in Chennai, India is growing by 13 percent a year and a new transportation hub has helped to integrate the city’s diverse transit network for both residents and visitors.

The number of vehicles in greater Chennai increased from 90,000 in 1990 to almost 10 million in 2008, an average annual growth rate of 13 percent, in this rapidly urbanizing city of about 6 million people along India’s southeast coast.

This rapid growth prompted the Comprehensive Study for Transport System for Greater Kochi Area. City Connect, a partnership of the Confederation of Indian Industry, and Janaagraha, a respected Indian NGO, shepherded the study.

The major recommendation involved integrating an existing bus stand and the Kaloor Private Bus Terminal into a hub accessible using a variety of travel options. For instance, passengers would be able to exit the bus terminal at the hub and then use inter-city buses, auto, taxi or metro train to enter the city. The site also offers ideal bus parking spots for long and short distance buses. While accommodating 900 cars and 120 auto-rickshaws in its parking lots, the area around the transportation hub also has the potential to host a world-class mega shopping mall, food courts, cultural center and health club and other amenities.

“Providing alternatives to such passengers, in the form of other customer friendly, yet ecologically friendly modes of transportation, will have profound impact on the quality of life, in terms of traffic and transportation, in Chennai,” wrote Susan Zielinksi, who has consulted for the project.

Chennai is also linking the mass transit system online through bus routes listed on Chennai’s website. Passengers can enter their origin and destination into the system and receive a customized trip plan.

For More Information: SMART – University of Michigan; Express Buzz

Chennai road Flickr photo by eyesore9. http://www.flickr.com/photos/eyesore9/4380660002/

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Editor’s Note: Our new report on smarter mobility demonstrates how existing and emerging technologies can squeeze more capacity from over-burdened highways, help commuters avoid traffic delays and expand and improve transportation options, all while saving money and creating jobs. Many of these smart transportation solutions are already fueling innovation throughout the country, through both the public and private sector. These 14 case studies from around the U.S. and the world demonstrate the community benefits smart mobility solutions are giving regions, cities, and businesses.

Read the ITS Case Study Series